It is common that a station installed or otherwise in use at a subscriber premise might not have a dedicated physical button used for initiating a wireless setup or handshake (e.g., Wi-Fi protected setup (WPS) handshake) between the station and an access point (e.g., wireless modem, router, gateway, wireless extender, etc.). Users are therefore forced to connect the station to a display device (e.g., television, computer, mobile device, etc.) to guide the wireless setup between the station and an access point. For example, without a dedicated button for initiating a wireless setup, a user or installer might be forced to connect a multiple-systems operator (MSO) owned set-top box (STB), for example, to a subscriber owned television in order to facilitate a wireless setup between the STB and an access point. Typically, the user guides the wireless setup through software controls.
Currently, pairing wireless (e.g., Wi-Fi) set-tops with an access point (AP) can be accomplished via several methods. The most common methods employ the Wi-Fi protected setup (WPS) push button operation, or require the user to know the correct personal identification number (PIN)/passphrase code associated with a wireless network or service set. A typical home might employee a plurality of Wi-Fi clients (Wi-Fi enabled set-tops) that are physically deployed all across the home. This makes use of the WPS method cumbersome, as the button press has to be initiated on both the client device and the AP, almost simultaneously. With each client requiring a separate WPS operation, this makes this method impractical at best. The PIN code and passphrase method is problematic as it requires the user to select the correct SSID (service set identifier), and enter a valid PIN or passphrase. While this method might be practical for the installer, it is not the best method for the end user. Therefore, it is desirable to improve upon methods and systems for pairing wireless clients with an AP.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.